Star Runners: Dark Space

Chapter 6

6

The canopy opened, filling the air with the aroma of sulfur and freshly burned firewood. The main cavern under the moon's surface looked the same as Josh’s previous visit. Stalactites gave the impression of being inside a gigantic creature’s mouth, and the rock openings created natural chambers like a honeycomb.

But there was no activity, no movement except for Matta’s tiny frame standing in the closest cavern with the dining table behind her. Strewn across the “hangar” were bits and pieces of equipment, a motorcycle with a missing wheel to the left and a spacecraft’s dashboard on the right. Only one ship, torn into pieces, joined his on the deck. Josh stepped from the cockpit and into puddles of oil, the engines winding down until they ceased turning, leaving only silence.

Matta took two steps forward, her hand hovering over a holstered pistol. "Is it really you?"

Josh held his hands to his chest. "It's really me."

She peered over his shoulder. "And you brought my baby back to me?"

"I promised you I would."

"People promise lots of things." She tilted her head. “They don't keep promises."

"I do."

She smiled. "I see that, Earth boy. What took you so long?"

"I got sidetracked."

“Happens to us all."

They embraced, her forehead collapsing onto his chest. He looked down at her braided black hair and wrapped his arms around her.

"Ah," she said, exhaling, "fate be good."

"It's good to see you."

She parted, gazing at him with glistening brown eyes and whispering, "You don't know how many times I've wondered if you'd bring my ship back.” She touched his ear and smiled. "I see the ear looks okay.”

"Oh," he said, remembering the wound she treated when he first arrived at Sanctum. "Just like new."

“Good," she exhaled. "Can't believe you're here."

"Where is everyone?" he asked, looking at the dining hall with the empty table. He remembered sitting with Tocol, listening to the man's questions about Earth and football as Matta worked on addressing his wound.

Her brow furrowed. “They’re gone."

"Gone?"

"Yeah. Only Pops and a couple others back at the Rock." She exhaled. "And I didn't want to get them worried. Still hoping the others come back."

He frowned as he stared at the uncertainty on her face. "How'd you get here?"

“Long story," she said, tucking her arm into his as they walked back to the dining hall. "Lots changed since you stole my ship. We not operating outta Sanctum on a full-time basis."

"No?"

"We took the asteroid from the pirate boys," she said with a grin, bouncing on her heels. "You 'member?"

"Sure," he said, recalling how Waylon had thought of commandeering the Tyral Pirate base in the asteroid. "Thought that would’ve been off-limits after the Zahl showed up."

"Twas for a time." She laughed. "You been gone a while, Joshy boy."

"Where's your ship?" he asked, gesturing back toward the hangar. “You didn’t come here on that wreck back there, did you?”

"Hmm," she said, sliding her fingers over the back of a chair. "Not good."

He stopped walking and looked at her. "So where's Waylon and Tocol and all the others? Are you okay?"

"Scared, Josh," she said, her chin quivering. "I'm still waiting for them."

"Where were they going?"

She sighed. "Making a routine delivery to Ashia.”

"You didn't go with them?"

Her arms dropped to her sides, and she pointed to the other small craft with panels torn off the hull spewing multicolored wires above pools of oil.

“My replacement craft’s a lemon,” she said, kicking the deck. “Had engines troubles so I’ve been trying to fix the thing. Waylon told me to land here at Sanctum to work on it, said they’d be right back.”

"How long ago was that?"

She looked at him. "'Bout a month now. They haven’t contacted me. It was like they disappeared.”

Taking a deep breath, Matta walked to her craft and hopped into the cockpit. “I missed her.”

“I’m sure she missed you.”

As Matta checked out her fighter, Josh looked away, rubbing the stubble on his jaw. Had Waylon been attacked? Was he marooned on Ashia?

The cavern lights flickered and went out. Darkness surrounded them for an instant before a red battery light buzzed to life, casting its glow on Matta's face.

Alarms sounded and a computerized voice bellowed, "Proximity alert—Proximity alert—Proximity alert."

"What?" he asked, jaw dropping.

"Oh my, no," she said, shaking her head. “Someone followed you here.”

“Here? Why?”

“Doesn’t matter why.” She pulled the pistol from her holster and gestured to the sensor display on her ship. “They’re here.”

"Who?”

Ignoring him, she hurried into the hangar and stopped. She thrust her hand toward the opening leading to the canyon beyond the energy shield.

"There!" she screamed.

Josh moved next to her, a tingling sensation creeping down the base of his neck. Five unusual ships of a make he’d never seen descended into the canyon, floating toward Sanctum’s opening. They spread out and accelerated, providing a good view of their circular aft sections and bristling noses.

"What the hell are they?" he asked, glancing at Matta. “Maybe they’ll pass us by?”

"Don't think so, Joshy."

Frustrated, he folded his arms across his chest. "I don't understand any of this! What's going on?"

She grabbed his hand. "We have to go!"

He held his position, clasping her hand and nodding toward her ship. "We can leave the way I just came."

"No time!" she shouted, sprinting back into the cave. “They’ll just blast us out of the sky! They're coming!"

She darted into the dining hall, but Josh lingered, watching as the peculiar vessels entered the hangar. The lead ship fired three round projectiles to the deck. He recoiled, ducking behind the wall as he watched from cover. The egg-shaped objects attached to the surface as if magnetic, bolting rigid and upright for an instant. A crack like a whip echoed, and the three eggs splintered into sections, bursting a cloud of green mist. Fog surrounded the eggs, but he glimpsed a humanoid figure emerging.

Stepping back, he watched another craft pass through the energy shield. Yellow orbs the size of eyeballs burned through the mist, followed by more pairs—all facing his direction. More eggs attached to the deck as the second ship fired them. He swallowed.

The first three figures scurried from their emerging positions, passing from the mist into the direct red light emitting from the battery-powered bulbs, moving fluid and fast. Shimmering obsidian armor covered their stocky frames, the creatures' piercing yellow eyes boring into him. The leader raised his arm, and Josh could see three muzzles extending from his wrist.

Green gel shot by his hip, blasting into a chair. The snot-colored liquid cascaded over the seat, burning and bubbling through the wood.

Spinning on his heel, he slid over the table and ran. "Matta!"

Footsteps pounded behind him. More gel bursts surrounded him, missing by inches and thumping into the rocks.

Up ahead, Matta fired twice from inside an opening. The laser bolts sizzled past his head. Turning back, he saw the crimson streaks absorb into the first creature's armor, sending an energy ripple across the surface.

He ran harder, his muscles burning. He moved into the winding passages, passing bedchambers and storage rooms.

"Back here!" Matta shouted, disappearing down the uneven corridor.

Rounding a bulging rock, he found her toppling over a stack of crates. The container's top fell off, spilling what looked like fragments of Lutimite onto the cave floor.

“Here!” she screamed, tossing a laser pistol to him. “Come on!"

As he ran down the hall, she fired to the floor behind them. The Lutimite ignited, creating a blaze in the tight space.

"What are—"

"A barrier!" she screamed. "You gone soft? We've been in a fight before!”

“Yeah,” he snorted, the pistol trembling in his hand. “A long time ago!”

"Shut up and follow me!”

They continued running through the passageways, going deeper into the installation. Josh hoped she knew what she was doing. After another turn into a tunnel, the corridor ended.

She jerked him into a chamber on the right, breathing heavily and draping her pistol over her leg.

Pointing at the weapon, he gasped, "Not any good."

"What's that?”

"The laser," he said, shaking his head. "Whatever they are, the bolts just absorbed into their armor." He looked around at the thick, metal door and lockers set into the rock. "What is this place?"

“End of the line," she said, staring into nothing. "Boss had this dug out for us to hold out if all else failed."

"That hatch can bolt from the inside, yes?"

She smiled. "Ya."

"Good panic room, Waylon,” he muttered, nodding to the crates. "Weapons?"

"Yep.”

As he moved over to the crates, he said, "I'm not letting those things get to you. You hear me?"

"Might not have a choice, Josh."

He pointed at her. "I didn't come all the way across the quadrant to die, you hear me?"

Cracking open a crate, he found a repeating laser rifle and slung it over his shoulder. He filled a black pack with flash bangs, grenades, and extra charge packs. Finally, he saw an ancient bullet firing revolver and thrust it into his belt.

“I thought you said bolts don’t work on them?” Matta asked, pointing at the rifle.

“Yeah, well this packs a bit more punch,” he muttered, hoping the repeating rifle was powerful enough to penetrate the attackers’ armor.

A guttural shout echoed down the corridor, the language not translating in his ear. He looked at Matta.

"What is that?"

“I don’t know.”

“They couldn’t have followed me from Earth.”

She paused. “Maybe they tracked the signal I sent do you?” She shook her head. “We gonna die if we don't figure out something."

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Doesn't matter what they are or how they got here—you bolt that door behind me and don't open it for anyone but me. You got that?"

“This is crazy, Josh," she said, shaking her head. "I'm not going to let you—"

"No discussion," he said, touching her cheek. "Those things won't get you. Whatever happens, you have to survive."

She nodded. "Fate be good."

"Right."

He stepped into the corridor and helped her close the enormous steel door. With two thuds, the bolts locked into place. After moving a good distance from the panic room's hatch, he knelt down and placed the bag in front of him. He pushed away the voice in his head asking why he was here and focused on putting as much fire down the corridor as possible.

But then Kadyn's face popped into his mind. She'd never know what happened to him. In his obsession to return to space and help Austin, he'd sentenced her to a lifetime of uncertainty.

Biting his lip, he slapped a charge pack into the gun. He glanced at the bag and realized using grenades in the cave would be out of the question—he might bring the entire rock down on top of them.

He peered down the corridor, saw the flickering firelight from Matta's "barrier" diminishing. A second later, it vanished.

Swallowing, he raised the rifle in the dim light. He squinted and stared, wondering if the creatures had turned back.

And then one moved into view, crouching as it peered down the corridor with its burning eyes.

He prepared to fire.